BISSELL Sweeps Merco Opener

The BISSELL team dominated the MERCO Credit Union Cycling Classic opener, the 82-mile Merced Immigration District Road Race today. After scoping out the first two laps of the new 12.5-mile loop and grabbing KOM points, the team hit and stacked the 11-rider break with 6 riders. On the final lap, another surge and five riders, then three riders came to the line together. Teammates Rob Britton, Ben Jacques-Maynes and Paul Mach all celebrated before Britton crossed the line first.

Also making the final selection was 20-year old John Bennett (CalGiant) who took fourth and Best Young Rider, and BISSELL’s Jay Thomson who grabbed the KOM/Sprint jersey. The racing continues tomorrow with the 12-mile Merced Boosters Time Trial. (Time Trial Start Times (P1-2-3 Women) (.pdf))

Rob Britton (BISSELL). “It was good today. We were trying to play it smart. At the end we were able to put riders up the road. We just came off a really good training camp in Santa Rosa. I think all the guys are carrying over that camaraderie and good feeling from the camp.”

Ben Jacques Maynes (BISSELL). “We really had to look at the course first because everything was brand new. We came around the corner to the little gravely road and thought, ‘Whoa, this is a real bike race.’ The first and second laps was about taking a look at the course and to see how the guys were climbing. The third lap we were setting up Jay (Thompson) for some more KOM points. We were riding up front in the lead 11 group and decided in the spur of the moment to hit it. It was then only six guys and it was pretty much game over at that point. With the numbers we had, it was just a matter of playing the team card just right. Hats off to John Bennett (CalGiant). He really manned up. He is someone to watch in the future.”

About the decision about who gets the win? “I have been training with Rob (Britton) a lot and he has been having a great spring. It’s good to step into a race like this and start it off right with the team.”

John Bennett (CalGiant). “I was following wheels and hoping they wouldn’t too brutal on me. There’s not much you can do. It pretty much just blew apart on the final climb. Two BISSELL [went], and I separated from everyone else and bridged to them, they held up for the two riders once I had bridged. ”

About the break. “One rider went off and another BISSELL bridged and it kind of separated the field and another one got up to him. Me and a Kelly Benefit and two other BISSELL riders got away from what was the enormous BISSELL train and I was able to bridge to the two BISSELL riders on the climb so it was the two BISSELL and I and then two more BISSELLs bridged back up and it stayed in control after that until the finish.”